Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday defended the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, and said that the apprehensions that have been raised against it do not reflect the facts and the inclusive spirit of the legislation passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly. His response came after Siddaramaiah, his Karnataka counterpart, wrote a letter to him over the proposed bill and expressed concerns over it.
In a long post on X (previously Twitter), the Kerala chief minister said his government is 'steadfast' to uphold constitutional values such as secularism and pluralism. Defending the bill, Vijayan said the proposed legislation contains an unambiguous non-obstante clause (Clause 7) to safeguard the rights of linguistic minorities, particularly those who speak Kannada and Tamil.
The bill has provisions to ensure that no language is imposed and linguistic freedom is fully protected, he said, adding that Tamil and Kannada speakers may continue to use their mother tongues for official correspondence with the Secretariat, Heads of Departments, and local offices.
"Students whose mother tongue is not Malayalam are free to choose languages available in schools in accordance with the National Education Curriculum," he said. "Students from other states or foreign countries are not compelled to appear for Malayalam examinations at the IX, X, or Higher Secondary levels."
Noting that India's diversity is to be "celebrated and not forced into a single mould", the Kerala chief minister said that the state's language policy is fully aligned with the Official Languages Act, 1963, and Articles 346 and 347 of the Constitution. "Built on the Kerala Model of participation and transparency, our Government resists any erosion of federal rights while remaining equally committed to protecting the linguistic identity of every citizen," he said.
What Siddaramaiah said in his letter?
In his letter to Vijayan, Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka government will constitutionally oppose Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, which mandates Malayalam as the compulsory first language even in Kannada-medium schools, particularly in border districts such as Kasaragod. He said that languages in India have only flourished "through mutual respect and organic coexistence".
He further noted that Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution guarantee the right to conserve language and administer educational institutions of choice. Besides, he said that Article 350A mandates facilities for instruction in the mother tongue.
"We have always upheld the principle that promotion of one’s language must never become an imposition on another. This belief has guided our policies and our commitment to harmony," Siddaramaiah said.
"I therefore urge the Government of Kerala to reconsider the proposed approach and engage in a broader, inclusive dialogue with linguistic minority communities, educators, and neighbouring States. Such engagement will reinforce India’s unity while preserving the dignity of every language and every citizen," he added.
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